Classic Tractor Tales: The Italian Affair - Part 2 - Greenmount Press

CLASSIC TRACTOR TALESThe Italian Affair – Part 2By Ian M. JohnstonIan concludes the account of hisvisit in 1997 to the village of Fabbricoin the rural heartland of theItalian region of Emelia, where in1884 Giovanni Landini commencedbusiness as a blacksmith and agriculturalmachinery engineer.THE FACTORYDoctor Barioni, the aristocratic supremoof the Landini manufacturing plant,personally escorted us around the factory.In his articulate and seductively engagingItalian accent, he explained in intimate detaileach facet of the tractor manufacturingprocess. Margery and I were equallyimpressed with his obvious engineeringastuteness, indicating that this chief executivewas not simply an administrator orglorified accountant.He explained that upon return from thelunch break, each factory worker becameengaged in a different task to which theywere employed during the morning shift.This practice prevented monotony andmindlessness from creeping in to the job. Ithad the additional benefit, Doctor Barionifurther explained, of ensuring that eachemployee on the factory floor was capableof undertaking a diversity of jobs, whichreduced complications during absencescaused by sickness or vacations.An indication of the engineering integritythat prevailed throughout the plant,were rows of Perkins diesel engines newlyarrived from Peterborough in England.These would be partially dismantled andA schematic drawing of a 1932 Landini 40 HP. (IMJ Archives)components (including cylinder heads) furthermachined to exacting Landini standards,prior to being fitted to the tractors.I gathered this did not in any way indicatean adverse reflection of the highly regardedPerkins engines, but rather a desirefor excellence of quality control on behalfof the Landini design engineers.At the time of my visit to Fabbrico,Landini still retained a decade long financialand licensing association with MasseyFerguson Ltd, so both Landini andMF tractors were being manufactured atthe plant. Accordingly, some models ofMassey Ferguson tractors were in fact rebadgedLandini units. Conversely, someLandini models had an obvious correlationwith their Massey Ferguson equivalents.The range of tractors I witnessed beingassembled was frankly staggering. Includedwere crawlers, two-wheel drives, fourwheeldrives, row croppers, high clearanceunits, orchard tractors, broadacre musclemachines and lightweight small acre units.The majority of these were available ineither Landini blue and grey, or MF redand grey, yet with their technical heterogeneousdifferences rendering the Landiniproduct not precisely identical to the MF.I assumed that in a Landini dealer’sshowroom a salesman would be able tostate quite piously that his tractor was indeednot identical to an MF, leaving himspace to add that it was superior. A similarThe Landini 40 HP was released in 1933 at the Fiera di Milano(Milan Trade Fair). (Photo IMJ)Guido Rondini at the wheel of an 8.5 litre Super Landini whichdeveloped 48 HP at 620 RPM. The Super model was producedfrom 1934 until 1951. (Photo IMJ)38 — THE AUSTRALIAN COTTONGROWER OCTOBER–NOVEMBER 2009

An archival photo of a Super Landini involved in a tug-of-warcontest against a group of factory strongmen. (Courtesy Landini)argument would undoubtedly be put forwardby a Massey Ferguson salesman.To add to the complexity of the manufacturingoperation, instead of a run of thesame model, the tractors emerging fromthe assembly line on their way to the paintshop, could be any one of the comprehensiverange.I was quite amazed to observe that inthe paint shop the robots attacked eachtractor as it was presented and were ableCHEMICAL ACCREDITATIONCOURSESEmerald, Moura, Biloela, Theodore, Mungindi, Goondiwindi,St George, Dirranbandi, Toowoomba, Dalby, Bourke, Warren,Narromine, Trangie, Moree, Narrabri, Wee Waa, Gunnedah.* Please call for updated information on course schedules ** Courses can be arranged elsewhere if required *Accreditation is valid for 5 years –New & Update courses availableSupervision SkillsCourseMoree/Goondiwindi, March 11–12, 2010Formal management training for managers, supervisors,leading hands or foremen.Key Topics:Time Management; Delegation; Establishing peopleas “People Managers”; Developing “results-oriented”employees; How to develop team work; Coaching &Counselling; Disciplining; Praising; Conducting staffappraisals; Occupational health & safety; Setting objectives.In–house courses can be arranged.Inquiries and Bookings: Geoff Paton 1800 626 681Countryco Training Pty Ltdto identify if it was a crawler, wheel tractoror whatever and if it was to receive theLandini or MF livery. No human was involvedin this paint process, which I wasable to observe through glass walls thatcompletely enveloped the paint shop.Also, quite remarkably, despite the tractorsbeing only around five metres fromthe glass, the glass remained totally freefrom paint over-spray! Doctor Barionimuttered something about negative andThe Landini Bufalo was produced between 1941 and 1947.Weighing close to three tonnes it proved a highly capable unit,with a pulling power much greater than its 40 HP would suggest.(Photo IMJ)positive ions, which was all beyond mylimited grasp of such things.But time was rolling on!THE LANDINI ALADDIN’S CAVEA 10 minute’s brisk stroll from the rearof the factory complex, with Margery and Ihurrying along in the wake of Doctor Barioni’slengthy strides, took us to an ancientstone building, which gave the appearanceof having been originally a coach house.…40sOCTOBER–NOVEMBER 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN COTTONGROWER — 39

This 1955 Cv 55-60 was the last and best of the single cylinder Landini tractors. Thepicture shows an example equipped with crawler half-tracks, supplied by the Britishcompany Roadless of Hounslow. (Courtesy Landini).w39…CLASSIC TRACTORSToday, within its rustic walls is housed TheLandini Museum. Upon our arrival at itsportals, Doctor Barioni introduced us tothe waiting Guido Rondini, a retired longserving Landini engineer who enthusiasticallyembraced his retirement appointmentas museum curator.Only a dedicated tractor historian couldconceivably comprehend my emotionswhen I gazed upon the priceless array ofancient Landini tractors, that was there forme to behold. OK. So I didn’t actually faint,but I certainly went weak at the knees.There was one problem however. Thegood Doctor wandered off somewhere indeep conversation with Margery, leavingme alone with Guido Rondini who spokeno English and I spoke no Italian! But wedid share a common denominator – ourpassion for old tractors. So we had thisinstant bond which seemingly transcendedour need for a common language. Margeryrelates how when she eventually joined usduring the inspection of the tractor artefacts,Guido was talking to me animatedlyin Italian and I was responding fervently inEnglish, as if we each knew perfectly whatthe other was saying! And in a strangeway, we did.“It’s what is known as – the magic of oldtractors” I explained to Margery.I could not estimate how many stationaryengines, steamers and tractors werein the museum, and Guido could only approximate.But it was obvious that herewas a breathtaking living history of overa century of Landini engineering masterpiecesproduced right here in the village ofFabbrico. The fact that they were crammedinto the centuries old stone building, leavinglittle or no space between, only addedto the sense of discovery and revelation.Early Landini tractors were without exceptionpowered by massively rugged lowcompression crude-oil burning single cylindertwo-stroke valveless water cooled engines,incorporating the scavenging designof air intake and combustion.In laymen’s terms – the air was suckedin through a filter and then on through anon-return valve into the crankcase. Thisoccurred due to the vacuum created by theforward movement of the piston. The airwas then pressurised in the crankcase bythe returning power/exhaust stroke of thepiston, which finally exposed a port permittingthe pressurised air in the crankcaseto escape into the combustion chamber.There it was compressed to a degree of 5to 1 and received an injection of fuel. Atthis juncture the pre-heated hot bulb sectionof the cylinder head, plus the heat createdby the compression of the air, caused theinjected fuel/air to detonate and of coursedrove the piston on its power stroke.Phew! When I read that back, it seemsfairly complex stuff! But it’s not! (I recommenda perusal of the adjacent schematicline drawing to assist with an understandingof the two-stroke scavenging system.) Inactual fact it was the basic simplicity of thedesign that rendered these tractors, built tobattleship standards, so utterly reliable.(It is worth pointing out that the GermanLanz Bulldog tractors were equippedwith a similar engine, as were the AustralianMcDonalds.)The final model of the single cylinderLandini range was the Cv 55-60 which enteredthe market in 1954. Its productionrun ended in 1956 with only 449 unitsmade. The short manufacturing run was40 — THE AUSTRALIAN COTTONGROWER OCTOBER–NOVEMBER 2009

The Cv 25-30, produced in the early 1950s was equipped with 3point linkage and sold strongly to small acre farmers in variousparts of the world. The unit pictured is on display in the FabbricoLandini Museum. (Photo IMJdue to the fact that by the mid-1950s theera of the big semi-diesels was coming to aclose. Farmers had become weary of theirbouncing vibrations and belching smoke.Emerging multi-cylinder diesels were thoroughlyreliable, fuel efficient and very muchmore pleasant to operate.For three hours I clambered over andunder these great tractor treasures, whichincluded practically every model of theIan’s MysteryTractor QUIZQuestion: Can you identify this finetractor?Clue: There is an association betweenit, meat pies and Holden cars.Degree of Difficulty: In view of theabove clue, dead easy to any selfrespecting classic tractor enthusiast.Answer: See page 56.single cylinder units, ranging from the 30HP of 1925 through to the Cv 55-60 of1956. Utter bliss!But then Margery reminded me thatwe had to be in Venice the next morningand it was time to acknowledge our appreciationand bid a fond farewell to DoctorBarioni and Guido Rondini. Not that weThis 1998 Landini 8860 is the author’s farm workhorse andis powered by a Perkins 80 HP diesel. It is provided with 24forward and 12 rear gear ratios. An almost identical tractor wasmanufactured by Landini at Fabbrico for Massey Ferguson andwas marketed as the MF 393 (see text). (Photo IMJ)expected to find old tractors in Venice, but– well, it could have other attractions. Butof course nothing to compare with thosein the old coach house in Fabbrico!FOOTNOTE: Landini today is part of theindustrial conglomerate Argo Tractors S.p.A.which also produces McCormick andValpadana tractors.Want a Better Built Auger?No. 1 INKONDININ 2002TESTSfrom the name you’ve grown to trustWESTFIELDBeing the leading global augermanufacturer for over 50 years we’vebecome pretty good at it.Each and every Westfield auger is “JobSized” – engineered, designed and builtfrom the ground up so components getheavier and stronger as the auger getsbigger. That means each and every modeloffers superior performance and durability.CAPACITYTO 250 tonnes per hourAnd that adds to more value for you.From our smallest to our mighty 13” MK,you simply get more for your money.And Westfield offers a combination oflengths, diameters and drive styles that giveyou more size and capacity options thanany other auger.Want value in an auger?See you local Westfield dealer now.Available in 4, 8, 10 or 13” diameters in lengths from26 to 111 feet with a choice of PTO, engine or electric drivesWESTFIELD AUGERS (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTDFreecall 1800 635 199OCTOBER–NOVEMBER 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN COTTONGROWER — 41